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Gilbert & George Get Doctorates

The pioneering artist duo Gilbert & George have received Honorary Doctorates of Art, in recognition of their contribution to the visual arts both in the UK and internationally.

Art collectors of Art Kabinett social media network are glad to see recognition bestowed upon this important art couple.

Respect, hard-work, dedication and a sense fun reign as Gilbert & George offer guidance to the next generation of artists at Plymouth University.

Receiving their Doctorates, which were presented by Vice-Chancellor Professor Wendy Purcell, artist George Passmore said they were ‘very pleased, very proud and very moved’ before the pair went on to offer the University’s recent graduates two sets of important advice. First, their ‘Laws of the Sculptors’, which they wrote for themselves in 1969, when they were just ‘baby artists’.

The Doctorate marked a homecoming for George Passmore, who was born in Plymouth in 1942 and met Gilbert Proesch whilst studying at Central Saint Martins School of Art in 1967. Since their initial union the pair have enjoyed prominence in the art world while championing the idea of ‘art for all’ – an ethos that is central to the practice.

Consistently ranked as one of the leading universities in the UK, and awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2012, Plymouth has a strong record of excellence, enterprise and innovation across its teaching and research activities.

Distinguished by its long-term engagement with business and the community, the University enjoys outstanding links with employers and plays a key role in civic and regional leadership. It is the only university in the world to have been awarded the Social Enterprise Mark in recognition of its work in support of the sector.

The Laws read out at the ceremony were:

The Laws Of The Artists

1. Always be smartly dressed, well-groomed, relaxed, friendly, polite and in complete control.
2. Make the world believe in you and make them pay heavily for this privilege
3. Never worry, assess, discuss or be critical, remain quite, respectful and calm
4. The Lord chisels still, so don’t leave your bench for long.

The ‘10 Commandments’, which the artists wrote for themselves in the ‘90s, were shared with the audience: